Buckner, the House sponsor of HB 4663, the Autonomous Vehicle Pilot Project Act, has been working on a framework for the testing and deployment of autonomous vehicles in Illinois.
The Northern Illinois Transit Authority Act directs the agency to study new transportation developments, encourage experimentation with public transportation technology and participate with public and private partners in transportation technology pilot programs.
Buckner pointed to the Bay Area as an example of the kind of integration Illinois should explore, including connections between autonomous ride-hailing and regional rail stations.
“We just created NITA because riders should not have to navigate a collection of disconnected transportation systems,” Buckner said.
“If we get this right, autonomous vehicles can help complete the regional transit system rather than compete with it,” Buckner said.